The handle is top quality. - straight, blemish/knot free. Smooth bare finish (I'm adding three coats of boiled linseed oil) and has what seems to be a very slight tapered thickening at the lower/butt end (I didn't measure), which provides a solid grip. Good quality wooden and metal wedges included. My 8 lb. splitting maul is back in business. I'll buy more handles for other tools.